Wisdom and Our Speech

Just as works reveal faith, so they reveal wisdom. We can no more
manifest wisdom without works than we can manifest faith without works.
Talk is cheap; life is real. What do your works herald about your faith and
wisdom?

Pure. Speech. Company. Interests. Motives. Thoughts. Focus.
The purity of all these leave your wisdom utterly exposed. Wisdom is
absolutely pure in its relationship to people, to the world system and to
the stuff of this present age.

Gentle. Wisdom is tough. Wisdom can take it. Wisdom is strong.
Therefore, wisdom is patient, kind, forbearing and moderate (Philippians
4:5). You see, wisdom is gentle.

Easy to be entreated. No aloofness here! People don't fear the
wise. Nor do they fear confronting and reproving the wise. Because wisdom
never feels like it has arrived; it knows it stands to learn from everyone.
Wisdom is humble and approachable. Happily so.

Full of mercy and good fruits. Wisdom shuns a judgmental
spirit, but recognizes good fruit. Wisdom's mercy and own good fruits of
the Spirit readily reproduce in the lives it influences. The wise man does
not find it difficult to see his own potential self in the lives and
shortcomings of others. And responds with godly mercy.

Without partiality. Wisdom carries no ruler or scales to
determine the worth of others. The wise person cannot be uneven-handed,
except in his dealings with himself. He "loses" every time! Wisdom places
others in more value (Philippians 2:3).

Without hypocrisy. Pretense and wisdom cannot and do not co-
exist. These mutual rivals vigorously exclude each other. Wisdom hates
hypocrisy because it denies the reality of the omniscient God.

Sowing righteousness. Because it is peaceable, wisdom's
purity is a hardy seed that withstands all attacks.

So all of that isn't you. Me neither. Where shall we find wisdom? How
shall we grow in wisdom?

Ask of God."If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally" (James 1:5). "For the LORD giveth wisdom:
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

Absorb (ie, live) God's Word."Thou through thy commandments
hast made me wiser than mine enemies.... I have more understanding than all
my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than
the ancients, because I keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:98-100).

Walk with the wise."He that walketh with wise men shall be
wise" (Proverbs 13:20). "Walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of
the righteous" (Proverbs 2:20). "I am a companion of all them that fear
thee, and of them that keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:63).

Live in the fear of God."Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). "Forsake the
foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding" (Proverbs 9:6).